Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly attracting interest from Serie A giants Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.
Manchester United‘s Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly attracting interest from Serie A giants Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.
The 23-year-old only joined the Red Devils in the summer for around €42.5m (£35.4m), with the striker penning a five-year contract at Old Trafford with the option of a further year.
Zirkzee caught the eye of Man United after an excellent 2023-24 season in Italy with Bologna, scoring 12 goals and registering seven assists to help the Serie A side qualify for the Champions League.
The Netherlands international was one of five senior signings made by Erik ten Hag in the summer along with compatriot Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte.
Zirkzee scored on his Premier League debut at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the new campaign, coming off the substitutes’ bench to net a late winner against Fulham, but he has since struggled in the final third and has failed to score in his last seven appearances.
The striker is seemingly regarded as a key first-team figure in Ten Hag’s plans going forward, but he has already been linked with a potential exit in the winter transfer window.
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Juventus to consider Vlahovic-Zirkee swap deal with Man Utd?
According to Calciomerato, Juventus may consider a shock move to sign Zirkzee in January, having previously expressed an interest in the striker.
The report adds that Juve could decide to ‘sacrifice’ Dusan Vlahovic and allow him to move in the opposite direction as part of a proposed swap deal.
It is understood that the ‘operation’ would be difficult due to the difference in salary between the two strikers, with Vlahovic earning almost double the amount Zirkzee is pocketing at Man United, but an agreement between both clubs cannot be entirely ruled out.
Man United were linked with a move for Vlahovic under the tutelage of former interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who admitted in 2022 that he encouraged the club to pursue a plethora of targets including the former Fiorentina man.
Vlahovic was one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe when he joined Juventus, and while he has struggled at times with injuries, the Serban has still contributed with 45 goals and 10 assists in 108 games, including four goals in six Serie A matches this season.
The 24-year-old has less than two years remaining on his contract in Turin and negotiations over a potential extension are said to have stalled, which is understood to have alerted long-term admirers Arsenal.